Minister's Possession

Chapter Fifteen

Sometimes, it's not the world around us that we struggle to understand—it's the storm within ourselves. And those days, the ones where your own emotions feel foreign, are far worse than anything anyone else could ever inflict. They are the days when tears fall unbidden, and you find yourself crying without reason, searching for the source of the ache but finding nothing but a hollow, gnawing sadness.

They are the days when you try—desperately—to find joy, to cling to moments of happiness, yet everything you touch feels heavy and bitter, turning even the brightest smile into a fleeting shadow. The days when every small thing stings, and no matter how much comfort others offer, it's drowned by the echo of your own insecurities.

In those moments, the darkest parts of you rise—the parts you bury deep, hoping they'll never surface. But they do. They come clawing their way to the forefront, whispering that you're not enough, that you'll never be enough. No matter what the world says, no matter what light others try to shine into your life, you see only the shadows—those painful, suffocating shadows that threaten to swallow you whole. And in that darkness, you begin to break, piece by piece, until you're left questioning if there's anything left of you to save.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Veena was feeling all of this at the moment—especially the last part. Her heart ached, tearing into pieces, and she sat down on the bed, lost in her thoughts, trying to gather herself before going back out to face her husband and the unknown girl once again.

"You should have heard his side, Vee. You shouldn't have reacted like a 12-year-old brat," a soft, angelic voice whispered in her mind. The figure appeared beside her on the charpai, with a glowing crown of white light swirling above her head, calm and steady in its wisdom.

"Heard his side for what? For her to find out that her oh-so-kind husband brought another girl into the house where his wife lives?" The voice of doubt, darker and heavier, cut through her thoughts. A demonic figure, draped in shadows, stood before her, arms crossed, eyes gleaming with cynicism.

Veena clenched her fists, caught between these warring voices. The angel figure turned to her with soft, understanding eyes, as if trying to soothe her storming heart. "Vee, have you seen her condition? Have you looked into her eyes? That girl was terrified—broken. Do you remember what you felt when Vinaay saved you? You were just like her—lost, scared, vulnerable. If he hadn't saved you, what would have happened? You know the answer. You would have been—"

"Abused and dead," Veena finished the thought aloud, her voice shaky. The memory of her own past came flooding back, a cruel reminder of what she had survived. Her mind filled with images of her younger self, frightened, powerless, until Vinaay had shown up like a light in the darkest part of her life.

"Exactly," the angel said softly, her gaze steady. "He saved you when no one else did. Don't you think he might've done the same for her? Running away from him like a jealous teenager was—"

"Childish," Veena whispered, closing her eyes. Her heart twisted painfully at the realization.

The demon scoffed, rolling her eyes dramatically as she dropped to the floor, lounging carelessly. "Oh, please. Are you really that naive? Sure, he saved her. But have you seen her, Veena? Really seen her? She's stunning. She's younger. More beautiful. More tempting. She's everything you're not, and now she's here—in your home."

"Stop," Veena murmured, her voice weak but desperate.

The demon shrugged, a cruel smile playing on her lips. "Why stop? Isn't it true? Look at her—barely covered, trembling with fear, but undeniably beautiful. And what about you? You're nothing compared to her. Why would he even look at you when he could have—"

"Enough!" Veena shouted, pressing her palms against her temples, trying to silence the poisonous voice.

But the doubt lingered, gnawing at her. Was the demon right?  Would this new girl replace her like Veena feared she might be.

The angel leaned closer, her voice soft and gentle. "Vee, you know better than this. You've built something with him, something real. Don't let this darkness cloud your heart."

Veena swallowed hard, her breath shaky. She didn't want to be this person—jealous, insecure, uncertain. But in that moment, she was. She was all of it, and she hated it.

She stood up, shaky but determined. She had to face Vinaay. Even if she wasn't ready, even if her heart still thudded with insecurity, she needed to hear his side. She needed to understand who this girl was and why Vinaay had brought her into their home. The girl did seem like she had been rescued, but that wasn't enough. Veena needed more—where had she come from? What kind of danger had she been in? Who had hurt her?

Veena took a deep breath, trying to push aside the childish, jealous thoughts swirling in her mind. It was unfair to jump to conclusions, especially about him. Of all people, Vinaay was the last person she should doubt. Yet, here she was, consumed by insecurities she didn't want to acknowledge.

She collapsed back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling as her thoughts raced. How could I have been so rash? she scolded herself. Vinaay's never given me a reason to doubt him—why did I let my emotions get the better of me? She cursed herself for all the nonsensical thoughts that had taken root in her mind before even knowing the full story. The possibility that Vinaay, her Vinaay, could ever do something to hurt her seemed absurd now.

As she closed her eyes, an image flashed before her—his eyes, pleading. He had looked at her with so much patience, silently begging her to hear him before she made any decisions. To listen, to understand, and not let the jealousy consume her. The guilt pressed down on her chest as she remembered the hurt in his gaze. She felt childish, foolish, for reacting the way she had, running off without giving him a chance to explain.

Veena squeezed her eyes shut tighter. What is wrong with me? she thought bitterly. It wasn't just the girl—it was something deeper, something that had been bubbling inside her for days. A strange, restless longing to be close to Vinaay all the time, to feel his presence. The fear that someone else—someone younger, someone beautiful—might catch his eye. She couldn't deny it anymore. The thought terrified her. Someone untainted, someone who hadn't been through what she had—would Vinaay prefer that?

Her insecurities weighed heavily on her, old wounds reopened. She's beautiful, Veena thought bitterly. Undamaged, unlike me.

In that moment, she wasn't sure who she was angrier at—herself for doubting Vinaay, or the part of her that constantly reminded her of her own brokenness. She wasn't whole, and maybe, just maybe, that was what frightened her the most. What if Vinaay saw that, too?